Someone fwd this to me. It seems someone always wants to know the perfect pattern. I always say it doesn’t matter. Here’s what Fred Bear says

First few bow seasons for deer I hunted in Oklahoma, the hunters had to wear some sort of red outerwear. I took a red hooded sweatshirt and painted leaf patterns of yellow, orange, etc, on it with my oil colors. It was almost 1963 or 1964 before camo could be worn for deer, partially due to some of our archery clubs influence on the state.

Have no idea if camo later made a difference in the number of bow kills or not. We used to climb up those trees so high to find those comfortable forked branches that it was plum scary. I think florescent pink poka dotted outerwear would have worked. My old '57 Ford probably scared as many as my red outerwear with its warped dump pipe covers going up those logging roads. It was as loud as a log skidder.

And still good information.

Many of us hunted in that old military-surplus camo, and managed to see a few deer while so clad. Todays' hunter is worried because he's wearing 'oak' camo up a maple tree ;-)

Good stuff, sometimes I even remember to apply it!

Camo patterns are designed to blend for the human eye. So they show you a photo of their pattern vanishing in the background, good marketing. I buy some of the camo just because I like how it looks on me.

I bow hunt our gun season here in PA wearing an orange vest and hat as required and never had a problem. Turkeys are a different story.

Just like under armor, well marketed, over priced long under ware.

Words to hunt by, amen.

My hunting clothes are a mix from what I was issued in the Army and a thrift store. Half camo and half plaids or earth tones. If I was standing on the side of the road someone would think I was a homeless guy. "LOL"

Was just telling my nephew the other day."The best camo is being still!"

Wow good for you Bob

to each his own but I also waterfowl hunt & ya ain't gonna kill many sharp eyed ducks in my neck of the woods wearing a red plaid jacket. I like camo

Timex I wasn’t referring to ducks. I used to hunt ducks in a carhardt small game jacket. They don’t make it anymore but it’s sorta brown. Now you’ll think I’m lying or exaggerating but years back my buddy n I were doing surveys for the state. Every week he had to submit a wing from each bird he killed. I had to keep track of my harvest. I was doing taxidermy full time and was out almost every morning very often for ducks. To digress every duck we shoot is feet n wings down at maybe 15-20 yards max. Here’s another one to add we use either skeet or ic chokes, many guys think that’s impossible too., We used no blind instead staying still along a brook. The weather up north was bad that year and just good enough here to keep em. Bottom line that year I killed 147 ducks. All wearing the brown jacket or whatever camo was on the jacket I grabbed. Obviously no red but here’s another one guys may not believe. Turkeys have great sight. So we’re walking and I’m wearing a red woolrich scouting deer. A flock busts. I start to kee kee by mouth to whistle them in. My buddy looks at me n thinks they ain’t coming to red. Well I guess they didn’t. We couldn’t pick em up but we surely coulda shot them w a bow. It’s not isolated cause I wore that exact jacket and called a second flock up. The only two I tried. I could go on but without actually trying how can you be sure they won’t come? Many places moving water washes coolers, garbage bags, bait containers into the same bend ducks might like. Does that keep em out?? Food for thought

I agree no rhyme or reason to it & iv got a lot of flannel shirts & if your into the traditional aspects of the hunting experience than plaid wool is for you.

Old buck let’s think about something. What do you think spooks game? Colors they can possibly see or association??? Let’s talk the ducks again. If anyone has sat in a dark snag and looked out at a buddy wearing perfectly matched camo light up by sun would they bet a guy with em in that snag would do better wearing a red woolrich or the knucklehead all light up? You think he’ll be invisible cause he’s wearing perfect camo? What about maples they turn red. Man they must go nuts trying to avoid them. How bout swamps. They’re not full of red bushes?? Around here they are. Yes it can’t hurt to be clear to camo up but it’s marketed to be necessary. It’s not true.

Guys can wear whatever they like. They’re surely not out of place wearing camo right? Guess my points are think about what we’ve been told recently. Seriously guys marketing is brainwashing many guys into thinking without a perfect match they should stay home. Early season especially i wear blue jeans and a flannel. Don’t recall one time when I felt under camoflauged. To each his own though boys. Everyone is entitled to an opinion or belief. My thoughts are where folks are missing things is using their brain to see if what they’re told or what they’ve read is actually applicable or if someone is using their hard earned money to finance their kids college? It’s a business guys. Think about that

I've done it both ways. I will say this, from the ground a ghillie is definitely far better then camo or plaid. I personally use a kill suit and I cannot tell you how much more I have been able to get really close to deer and not have them identify me and run.

If your on the ground, Fred's rule of stay still is golden. Anything that has multiple patterns will work. The game changer is up in a tree, you need white blotches or full snow type camo depending on time of year.

a better use of time/money is trying to out-fox that nose vs. their eyes...

Times have changed since the 60's, and animals are hunted harder then they were in the 50's and 60's. Now, most deer come in looking up into the trees. Ever wonder why you don't see sheep hunters wearing plaids, blue jeans and carhart jackets? Watch videos of elk coming into calls and see how they spot the hunter immediately cause he stands out like a sore thumb.

Someone said that today's camo is mostly for the human eye... Really?? Guess some time needs to be spent doing some research on his these guys developed the camo patterns they make before making such statements.

The best camo is being still? If I couldn't get away with movement when I had a buck or bull coming in, it's time to change camo patterns. While using ASAT, I've turned completely around while having Bulls or cows standing there, looking through you, cause that's what the pattern was designed for. Another reason why you should research things before stating how camo today is made for the human eyes. Camo should break up the human outline, not allowing you to be a blob at 20 yards or 100 yards. Most guys say they got picked off because the deer saw them move. Many times it's the shine of their bows or arrows in the quiver. That's what alerts a lot of game. Even bows with low flat finishes shine, and so do the arrows you carry in the quiver.

These posts are started all the time, by guys swearing how good their plaid shirts and blue jeans are. But many fail to tell you they are chasing deer on private land that don't get hunted much and aren't too scared of humans. Love hearing how guys had deer walk by em five feet away while wearing plaid. Funny you never got a shot at em.

I wish I had a clean copy of the above, I would frame it and display it.

While I won't denigrate those who like to hunt in plaid (do it my self on occasion) I think there is no question that camo patterns are effective if they are done right.

I base that statement on millions of years of evolution. If camo didn't work so many animals would not have evolved with it built in.

Hmmmm. Look what Fred's wearing in the pix.

Camouflage consists of a lot more than a color pattern. Movement, scent and noise will give you away long before a camo pattern. Lots of guys kill deer in blue jeans and a plaid shirt.

well why is Fred always in camo and not a red Plaid coat

If you got into Fred's history, you would find he didn't start wearing camo until he saw it as a business venture. It wasn't until 1958 or 59, when Fred was in his late 50's that he introduced it under the Bear brand. In Glenn St.Charles' book he talks of Fred bringing it to Alaska on one of the trips. Fred was a businessman who was smart enough to recognize that if someone made it, and branded it....they would buy it.

You'll also hear that Fred hunted with a compound because he showed it in his ads. Fred admittedly couldn't shoot one very well and was "too old" to change his habits, so he posed with one for ads. He did take one with him on a hunt once but he couldn't get used to it so he just took photos. He was smart enough again to have some top pros shoot and hunt with his compounds, which all manufacturers did to tout their equipment.

I have yet to find much camo that will keep you as warm as a wool plaid, although there are some...but usually at a much higher price. I do have some pieces of camo that are mismatched and bought when on clearance. And, I have my beloved Bob Fratzke brown camo sweater I bought in 1978..and it's still going, so I do have some of that awful stuff...sarcasm intended.

Fred wore both camouflage and non-camouflage. He most likely wore more camouflage clothing the years his company sold camouflage clothing to advertise them. Here is a page from his 1959 catalog.

Great advice from one of the “ Masters “.

1970 catalog.

Fred Bear was not only an inventor, bowyer, archer, and bowhunter. He was also a business man. If he seen a way to make some money to keep his company a float he was going with it.

camo is good, not always necessary ,,

The old days. Fred Bear is in there somewhere.

Being still is golden. Being still in camo that breaks up the human outline is even better.

fellas iv had deer 5' from me standing in the open woods wearing a blaze orange jacket & iv been busted 25' in a tree in full camo with my face painted from 60 yards there are so many variables the sun probably the biggest...as for the old days & not to take away from any of the legends accomplishments but it's been said that animals did not have the fear of humans they do now & in some cases were even curious of humans I know in some of the videos I watched at the Fred bear museum in Gainesville Fla the animals would just look at him as he drew & shot. I never really paid any attention to his attire

Hunting has changed a lot since Fred was in the woods Increased hunting pressure has increased game animals awareness and fear of man.

Also with the addition of the tree stands deer now look up more.

Just the way it is.

Can you kill em in jeans, shirt and tie...probably

But Id say youre much better off with an open pattern camo

We may be hunting different animals, but times have changed in my neck of the woods. Pressured whitetails on my farm notice anything that doesn't blend in perfectly. Sometimes wool plaid will, and sometimes it doesn't depending on the season. The moose and bears I've hunted could care less about camo, and the elk are spookier than whitetail at longbow range.

It really depends on the pressure imo. I haven't found anything better than ASAT for elk on the ground.

Bret

My opinion is wear what ever gives you the most confidence, be it camo, plaids, earth tones, or a mixture of them all. I wore camo everyday for the eight years I was in the U.S. Army so now I like to mix it up some. :)

Yep still have old army camo still works great that new stuff is just a sale gimmick

It has always seemed to me that most of the camo patterns on the market look pretty much the same when you get about 20 or 25 yards away. Maybe my eyes just aren't any good but I couldn't identify one pattern over the other from that distance. They all just turn into a medium dark blob. What is a deer's camo? A medium dark gray/brown and it disappears when standing still. That is why we are always taught to watch for movement. And that is what the deer is doing to--watching for movement. Or else it is examining that medium dark blob that wasn't there yesterday.

But if wearing Mossy Oak or Realtree or some other designer camo makes you feel good then great. I'll wear anything that turns me into a medium dark blob that doesn't stand out. That could be brown pants and a green shirt, maybe a little brown or green plaid, maybe the occasional designer camo because I do have a shirt or two.

But the being still part is most important. And taking advantage of whatever is available in your surroundings to break up your outline helps a lot too. But then I am exclusively a ground hunter these days.

If camo only provides a 20-25% advantage compared to 75-80% no movement, I'll still include the camo. I need all the help I can get.

A mentioned above. Things change. Hunted deer are skittish and have adapted to treestand hunting. Everyone would like shots under 25 yards which is in the personal space of a deer. If we were all shooting 30-40 yards (which Fred Bear was known to do), then less concealment is needed.

A $40 Walmart leafy suit does a decent job over any clothing you like.

Like most things debated, the truth lies somewhere between the extremes.

Kevin, I've always said "life is a bell curve".

JP....does that explain the ringing in my ears? ;-)

I always use to think camo for deer was not all that important, but it was for turkeys. Then one fall da, I was completely over dressed and sweating, I took off my wool camo Swandri. Nope still too hot took off my plaid Fison wool shirt, down to my white long johns. Then sat back down on my butt pad, to eat my large Salted Nut Roll and drinking water leaning against a tree, a flock of turkeys walked by me at about 15 yards. As they came by they said things like, 'hi, how you doing' 'warm for this time of year isn't it', 'care to share that many bar with us?" Then later a guy came into the public land valley with a bunch of boards, tools and a bucket. he built a completely illegal tree stand, rail road spikes and all. Crawled up it and finally saw me sitting less than 50 yards away, he about flipped off his wood ledge.. He crawled down and came to tell me that I couldn't hunt there any more since he claimed the valley because he had a tree stand in it. It was time to see if my new cell phone worked. I called the game warden. Got rid of that pain in the ass forever and the game warden came with tools to rip out the tree stand and his ticket book. We loaded the the crap up on a cart, including the guy's compound and arrows. I was helping the game warden pull the cart and he said, "you always hunt in white long johns?" I had to go back down the hill to get my shirt and jacket.

I once had a flock of maybe twenty turkeys follow me in the woods. I was wearing black and had my climbing stand on my back. When I got to the tree and began climbing, they scratched around and fed withing thirty-five yards. They didn't move out of sight until I was up and seated. Must have known I didn't have a tag for them.

"fear of man"

sir misalots, That started after they left Noah's ark.Genesis 9:2

The last few years I wore a home made camo pattern with great results. This year I switched to plaid shirts and khaki pants. The 4 deer in my freezer didn't seem to notice my lack of camo.

I'd much rather buy some cheap plaid shirts and jackets instead of the outrageous prices some camo sells for.

That's a great story dean!

I like wearing camo driving my old ford truck & I wish it was still ok to have an 870 & a 3030 lever gun in the back window. but I'm afraid that's asking for trouble from(both good & bad) sides of the law but there's no dought in most folks mind that I'm a wolf. ya know the whole hunting & fishing thing is far more than the attire one chooses to wear... however iv been wearing the same fleece camo pullover from wallyworld for at least 25 years & if I get any fatter I'm gonna have to have a zipper sewn into it but deer seam to look right thru me with that jacket on & yes usually there's a flannel shirt on underneath cotten if not to cold & wool when cold

It's about breaking up the human form. Being still and watching movement is critical no matter what you're wearing.

Camo is way over rated. Haven't worn it for years. But, if you have the money and it make you feel confident more powet to you. Regards

Lots of fellows think there’s aren’t moving when they are. Some coyote hunters for instance move one finger which they put a white glove fingertip on to lure coyotes. Sitting still the dogs don’t see em. Again if we’re so sure, put some plain clothes in the woods, aired out of course cause that’s a bigger issue. See if the animals avoid it. Remember lots of reds, greens, blacks n browns in nature. I will say deer are smarter but that might be true in some areas. I hunted a few farms in Illinois that the deer never once looked up even when you moved to test reaction. Regarding Fred Bear lots of fellows are addressing the business aspect but take note of the non camoflauged pants. Non camoflauged face, hands. Kinda surprised a blind hog came near him being so flashy. How many guys in the spookiest time of year. Gun season get plenty close, close enough to kill w a bow wearing hunter orange. Many are in a tree some on ground. Use what you want guys. Those less fortunate money wise or those who just wanna save hard earned cash see if anything matters camo wise if you’re sitting totally still. Now I will say this, if deer somehow associate a foreign bump in a certain open tree say w danger, camoed or not they’re gonna see ya. A buddy of mine makes lots of money. He buys everything the best he thinks. Anyway he missed a couple does from his hang on. Couldn’t get near the darn things cause each time they’d approach from afar the lead doe would look up into his tree, notice something suspicious and go the other way. So... he took a climber and went maybe thirty yards away. The deer came in, looked in “his tree”, didn’t see him and came in. He shot the lead doe that night wearing the same camo he’d been wearing. Guess a dif color woulda been better?? No it was association. They associated that area w danger. Even white or some tree color, idk what he wore but he’s got more camo than my ex had shoes, woulda not worked especially if he moved.

Great story dean!

I felt like I was reading an old Pennsylvania game news article.

I have not used commercial camo in years also...try it. take the challenge one season and see for yourself. I did and never looked back.

Now I can go directly from work up into the woods LOL!

I quit camo about 15 years ago, I hunt public and private land and found the stuff just isn't necessary.

One thing to remember is most people move in lockstep with everyone in their peer group. Camo, tattoos and guys walking around with permanent five o'clock shadow thinking they are the sexyiest men on the planet come to mind.

I quit buying camouflage close to 2o years ago. I still have some t shirts and stuff that I get for Christmas or Father’s Day- but I don’t seek out and buy camo. I buy the wrangler cargo britches from wal Mart and usually a plaid cotton or wool top. I’ve killed deer and pigs from the ground and from the trees wearing just khaki and plaid. I’ll even wear a solid red hat while hunting public land just so others can hopefully spot me and not send an arrow towards me. **turkeys are a different story**. If you think your camouflage works great- MOVE while a pig is upon you. You will find that you are suddenly all by yourself.

A big part of seeing critters is being still no doubt. However, camo will help conceal movements long as the camo works in the area your hunting. I have been caught moving by deer multiple times and yet they second guess what they saw due to my camo. A second look and I see them relax and t ten yards that says something. Fred did where camo, and if the camo is designed properly it blots or blend your outline to the environment.realtree and mossy oak have made millions with their lines, however in my opinion their camo is designed to hook the hunter and not deceive critters. I was sucked in by them when I darted hunting, who wasn't. After reading up and looking at all the other camps out there I have found and will only where ASAT camo, period. The entire design is all about deceiving critters and not being a Darin design, this stuff works and as the company says , you'll see more animals or we'll buy it back, is true. My sightings have increase ever since I started wearing ASAT and for me it's the only camo I'll wer. Fred's right about movement, but when Fred was hunting deer hunting wasn't anywhere near as pressured Asia is today, especially on public land, I just wonder if Fred was alive and hunting in today's deer woods if he'd be wearing more camo than he did.

surprised the scentbloc clothing hasn't been mentioned. & I'm sad to say that I spend entirely to much time socializing on this open public forum. fellas it's not fb but I is 100% social media. don't kid yourselves

Plaid is camo....any pattern can be camo. What the context here was, as I see it was commercial camo. Buffalo plaid is camo as much as realtree or mossy oak, etc. If you're in a tree stand all day, I'm not sure that a dark colored camo does any good at all, especially if much sky is in the background. Some guys stick out like a turd in a punch bowl in a tree stand with their intricate green patterns. A guy in a gray sweatshirt may almost disappear when fifteen feet up with a sky background.

I don't doubt it can help but a little intelligence helps when figure out what works best where you hunt. If another human can pick you out quickly, you're not hiding from any animal. Have a buddy check you out in that tree stand sometime and have him take a photo from different approach areas. You may be surprised.

OK, try this.

Take your ASAT camo and hang it up in the pines or hard woods that are a predominantly dark colored background. You'll get busted big time.

I have ASAT and it works great in the right place, it just isn't magic.

USS Mahomet Now this is camo you can't even tell what the hell it is.

Take your plad shirt and bluejeans and sit up in a tree without leaves you will get busted.

I feel the worst for guys who wear Sitka Gear and shoot single-bevel heads out of 60# bows.

so what do the flannel shirt guys do when it gets REALLY cold flannel jacket?

We layer just like everyone else, I either use a Asbel parka over everything or I have a thrift store wool plaid heavy jacket I wear over my layers.

I have found that wool has no reflective properties that draw a deer's attention. I don't wear jeans just cheap gray or brown cargo pants or gray German military wool.

There is so much more to not being seen than clothing, sun direction, using large trees or blowdowns for cover and of course movement plus making even small equipment noises that are out of place in the woods that deer pick up instantly.

That strangely painted naval ship above,...that sort of camouflage was used mostly during WW I and was called "Razzle Dazzle". It's purpose was to disguise the shape, size, direction and speed of ships.

One thing about camo clothes like the Swandris that Paul Brunner sold. So matter what color it is, it is a very quality product. With a lanolin treatment, it is a breathable rain slicker and very long lasting, with a wide temperature tolerance span. I also have a sort of camo pattern Filson Double mac. Brown or green plaid would have benn just as good, but I bought this one for pretty cheap on sale in Ely, mn on a hot summer day, after a canoe trip. When I got home I checked to see what they really sole for and I saw that they were no longer available, another heavy wool garment with a very wide temperature span. What I regret is when I bought my swedish military wool pants, that i did not get a few pairs that were 2 or 3 inches bigger across the middle. gravity sucks.

First of, to each his own. If commercial camo makes you a more confident hunter then go for it.

I own some commercial camo, but I haven't bought any new in years. I mainly wear it for turkeys.

Camouflage is a concept to me, not a pattern. Some of the comments above about "the plaid shirt and bluejean guys" crack me up. Of course you would get busted in a naked tree. You will with the best commercial camo also. Why would you sit in a naked tree?

I wear plaid or earth tone wool for the most part...and I do choose my plaid based on where I'm hunting, with a thought towards camouflage. I have spent time photographing different plaid patterns, and then reviewing the pictures in both color and black and white. Patterns with a light, dull background with a dark plaid, LARGE check pattern disappear best....at least to my eye. Take a look at Asbell's Timber Ghost pattern. It is just about the perfect plaid. I was also surprised to learn that a dull pale gray is also extremely effective. No plaid, just plain gray. If someone told me that I could only pick one garment for all hunting, it would be plain gray wool.

Someone asked me "why?"...why do I not wear commercial camouflage? I'm not sure I have a good answer...nostalgia, the satisfaction of NOT buying the latest and greatest pattern, I'm not sure. But I have killed a ton of whitetails without commercial camo. I suppose I would say woodsmanship trumps commercial cam patterns.

this is my normal every day winter time work attire & would be-is a great late season hunting pattern but if I go hunting thisafternoon I will put on my old fleece camo pullover for me it's 100% to each his own however the do it the hard way you ain't a REAL HUNTER if guys kinda rub me the wrong way at times & ill gladly compare pics of my freezer & canned meat pantry with them any time

I use the snow camo in the naked trees. You have to in WI unless all you hunt are pine. The deer look right through you with the snow camo on.

Can camo be taken too far?

ive taken a ton of game at really close distances with orange and jeans. ive had turkeys step on my legs wearing that combo. that said ive found that asat actually seems to work. especially with masking movement its not magic but i can get away with alot more with asat than anything else ive found (ive not tried everything and dont plan to) there were some dark camo patterns that i always got busted with plaid and earth tones work pretty well better i think than alot of the patterns out there. breaking up your shape i think is more important than pattern im thinking. solid colors esp gray can work remarkably well.

Earth tone woolens my choice vs camo patterns. Any camo I have is incidental.

Made some killer purchases from Goodwill.

Whenever I watch the movie My Cousin Vinny and see that scene with Marisa Tomei on the cabin porch stamping her feet and talking about her biological clock ticking I'm thinking that outfit is the perfect camo. Anything that breaks up your outline and blends with the surroundings whatever it may be is camo.

I only wear camo to keep other hunters from seeing me. It is hard to sneak on my neighbors property and kill his big bucks in blaze orange.

Not much change in 40 years

I once made tie dye camo that came out pretty good. Used a lot of little circles that overlapped to break up a specific pattern in the shirt. Don't know if it works never got to the woods with it before I was transferred.

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